Year by year, in 2025 prices
| Year | £1 | 1 shilling | 1 penny | £100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | £117.67 | £5.88 | £0.49 | £11,767 |
| 1801 | £105.21 | £5.26 | £0.44 | £10,521 |
| 1802 | £136.95 | £6.85 | £0.57 | £13,695 |
| 1803 | £144.42 | £7.22 | £0.60 | £14,442 |
| 1804 | £140.58 | £7.03 | £0.59 | £14,058 |
| 1805 | £121.27 | £6.06 | £0.51 | £12,127 |
| 1806 | £126.08 | £6.30 | £0.53 | £12,608 |
| 1807 | £129.15 | £6.46 | £0.54 | £12,915 |
| 1808 | £124.11 | £6.21 | £0.52 | £12,411 |
| 1809 | £113.47 | £5.67 | £0.47 | £11,347 |
Money in the 1800s
Britain was at war with France for most of this decade, and wartime taxes and poor harvests kept prices high. Income tax, first brought in by Pitt in 1799, was one of the costs of the war.
Prices rose about 4% between 1800 and 1809. These figures compare the cost of everyday goods and services. Wages, house prices and the size of the economy all grew at different rates, so a 1800s salary or fortune would look bigger still if compared with what people earn or own today.
Source: Office for National Statistics composite price index (CDKO), Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are rounded.
Other decades: 1800s · 1810s · 1820s · 1830s · 1840s · 1850s · 1860s · 1870s · 1880s · 1890s · 1900s · 1910s · 1920s · 1930s · 1940s · 1950s · 1960s · 1970s
Common questions
How much was £1 in 1800 worth today?
About £117.67 in 2025 prices, based on the ONS composite price index.
How much was £1 in 1805 worth today?
About £121.27 in 2025 prices.
How much was a shilling in 1805 worth today?
About £6.06. A shilling was 1/20 of a pound, or 5p in decimal money.